Navigation devices, such as GPS (global positioning system) devices that provide turn by turn direction or devices that have a primary non-navigation function but include non-primary navigation function (such as a cellular telephone that includes a navigation application), provide users with detailed directions to an intended destination. Generally, these navigation devices receive an intended destination from a user and the present location of the user is detected. Directions or navigation routes are then generated to direct the user from the present location to the intended destination based on stored (or downloaded) routing information about the geographic region between these two points. This routing information typically includes information about streets, driving directions, geographic characteristics and so on. The generated directions are then present to the user.
The navigation devices typically generate directions according to an operational mode which corresponds to a travel mode. For example, in a pedestrian mode directions may be generated to direct the user to walk from the present location to the intended destination. By way of another example, in a driving mode directions may be generated to direct the user to drive from the present location to the intended destination.
The user may experience problems if the navigation device generates directions according to an operational mode that does not correspond to the travel mode the user is utilizing. As a result of these problems, the user may travel in a way that is unsafe or inefficient. For example, if the navigation device is set to generate directions according to a pedestrian mode and the user is driving, the directions may direct the user to drive the wrong way on a one way street or a traffic circle. By way of another example, if the navigation device is set to generate directions according to a driving mode and the user is walking, the directions may direct the user to walk on a bridge where pedestrian traffic is prohibited. The user would not experience these problems if the navigation device did not generate the directions according to an operational mode that does not correspond to the travel mode the user is utilizing.